Haven
by EraseAlpha
Summary: After living in a tyrannical regime for 5 years, a group of rebels seek to move out of the country, but one of them is caught. Her sister, the sheriff, and travelers caught in the mess join them. Old wounds open...Shoujo-Ai
1. Escape

Chapter I- Escape

Lightning walked into the general shop. The skeleton musician was playing a sad tune. She headed towards the maps counter. She passed in front of the straw hat wearing boy who was cleaning the floor. He smiled at her, she didn't smile back. Lightning knocked on the counter, once, twice.

"Coming!"

The redheaded mapmaker walked out of the back room smiling.

"Hello sheriff. Going anywhere?"

"That doesn't concern you, Nami. I need a map of the White Forest, north."

""Until Smith village or Laroque city?"

""Laroque."  
"Right away."

Nami searched around the maps.

"I'm sorry, we don't have either version."

Lightning frowned.

"Then give me the original. I will bring it back intact."

"That's not a good idea." stammered out Nami.

"Just give it to me." snarled Lightning, hitting the counter.

"Oh, look, I found a copy..."  
"Thank you."

"Thank you...Sheriff." said Nami, an air of bitterness around the last word.

Lightning took the map and left. Nami smacked her head on the wall.

"Goddammit."

Brook shrugged.

"It's fine, we have plenty of time without her getting lost."  
Luffy cracked his knuckles.

"The plan is ON."

Lightning walked into the sheriff's station and jail.

"Deputy Zoro?"

Upon finding the deputy sound asleep, Lightning frowned and smacked him with her gunblade.

Zoro woke up startled.

"Yes, sheriff?"

"The prisoner?"

"Asleep."

"Very well. I must depart for the mission. Are you sure central headquarters said it was today?"  
"Yes, ma'am."  
"I will go after lunch. Take care of the town while I'm gone."

"I will."

"Excuse me?"

Robin put her book down and headed for the counter..

"may I help you?

"Is this the museum?"

"Indeed, it is."

"Oh good." said the woman " I'm here with my son . You see, we're on a cultural trip."

"Your son seems to be playing with centuries old vases, please make him stop."

The woman turned around , shocked.

"Hope!"

"Sorry".

The kid stopped fiddling with the vase.

"Actually said Robin, adjusting her reading glasses "The museum is closing now. For lunch."

"Oh, sorry! We'll come back later."

They left. Robin sighed in relief and walked over to the vase, from which she removed a small bomb.

Nami sneaked into the station.

"Zoro?"  
"Feeding the prisoner."

Nami walked over to the cells. She glanced at the girl behind bars.

"The hell did she do?"

"Unauthorized entry into town."

"Dammit Light...Hey, girl?"

The tiny redhead stared inquisitively at Nami.

"How would you like to help us escape the country?"

"That's illegal."

"We know."  
"Then why?"

"We've been living under this tyranny for five years, and I'm sick of it. We all are."

"Where will you go?"

"Outside the reach of the government."

"Hm. Okay!"

Zoro pulled Nami aside.

"Why?"

"If the soldiers come after us, we can throw her as a distraction."

She turned back.

"Hey, can you fight?"

"Yes."  
"Good. I'm Nami. This is Zoro."  
"I'm Vanille."

Sazh walked into the small shop, near the east exit of the town.

"Wood seller. Here to sell wood."  
Franky turned back.

"Now?"

"No, I'm just making small talk. Yes, now! I don't have all day!"

"We're busy, go away."

Sazh grumbled and left.

Franky looked at his assistant.

"Do you have the second bomb, Usopp?"

"Yeah, right here."

Lightning walked into the restaurant. Robin and Chopper were sitting at the counter. Sanji grinned and walked to the door.

"Good morning, sheriff! Would you like a window table?"  
"I can't stay, just give me the usual to go."

"Yes, right away! Lucky you, it's today's special! Just let me wrap it up..."

He quickly prepared and handed it to her.

As the restaurant was right on the west exit to the town, they watched her walk out. Sanji skipped to the telephone on the wall and called the store.

"Luffy? She's gone. Go meet Snow. I'll call Franky and we can start the operation in 30 minutes."

Lightning waved to the guard, who stopped in his tracks, apparently very surprised.

"Sheriff Farron? What are you doing?"

"What are _you _doing?"

"Uh, well, I'm not supposed to say it, but there's a surprise search today."

"That can't be. I was called to a meeting in Laroque."

"Sheriff" muttered the guard "There's no meeting today."

An explosion was heard in the distance.

"Dammit, that bastard!"

She started running back.

"Snow!" she yelled in frustration.

"Snow!" Usopp yelled in fright "There are guards here!"

"What?" said Snow "It must be a surprise search! Nami, take Serah and run, the smoke bombs will conceal you!"

"I won't go!" cried out Serah.

"Yes, you will!"

"Snow..." muttered Nami, a tinge of worry in her voice "Will you meet us there?"

"Of course!"

"Come one" said Chopper, as he changed to his walk point "hop on."

Serah reluctantly climbed onto him.

Robin and Franky ran to them.

"There's a problem" said Franky "The boat was seized"

"Then we'll go by foot!" yelled Nami "Vanille?"

"Nami, there's a kid here! He says his mother was shot!"

"Shit! Bring him along!"

"Zoro and Brook are already outside the town." said Sanji.

They ran to the nearest exit. Suddenly, soldiers appeared out of nowhere.

"Run!" screamed Nami "Don't stop until you're safe!"

They started running.

Lightning was running. It all started to click. Surprise meeting, as said by the deputy, getting her out of town. No maps, getting her lost to make sure she wouldn't be back so soon. Special of the day, getting her out as soon as possible. They were all in it together. The archeologist was probably in it too. They would definitely escape by the ruins. The explosions! Smoke bombs, that's what the mechanics were doing for the past week! Snow and Luffy...They were running the whole game.

And Serah was definitely with Snow.

They would get caught.

"Catch them!" yelled out the leader of the soldiers.

Sazh hid in an alley. On the day he decided to travel to this town, a rebel group escapes and a surprise search party appears.

"Old man with the guns!" yelled Luffy "You're not safe here!"

"Gee, really?"

"Come with me!"

They ran to Snow.

"Snow, let's go!"  
"Right!"

They ll met in the forest. Just as everyone was catching their breath, Lightning appeared.

"Idiots! Where is my sister?"

"She's right th-" muttered Nami, stopping as she noticed Serah was not right there. Chopper sobbed.

"I'm sorry! A soldier grabbed her! I didn't notice, you said don't stop!"

"What?" gasped Lightning. Infuriated, she started punching Luffy.

"Knock it out!" screamed Nami, pulling her away " She choose to come with us, it's not like we forced her!"

"Serah..." mumbled Snow.

"Is everyone else here?" asked Robin.

"I think so..." said Sanji, looking around " And three people who aren't supposed to be here. And Miss Farron."

"I'm just a merchant caught in your crazy plan. The name's Sazh."

"I'm Vanille. This guy lost his mom just now..."

Hope looked away.

"What now?" asked Franky.

"We save Serah." said Snow.

"Yeah!" yelled Luffy "We don't leave anyone behind."

"I'll save Serah." bitterly mumbled Lightning "You'll just screw up."

"You're going to get her from headquarters?" asked Sazh "That's crazy! I'll go too, there someone I need to save as well."

Nami turned to Vanille.

"You?"

"I'll go too! Uhm...Little guy? Want to come with us?"

"What choice do I have?" muttered Hope.

Luffy cracked his knuckles.

"It's decided! Everyone is going north!"

Lightning frowned and started walking.

"I won't protect you."

"We won't need you." flatly said Nami.

**NEXT WEEK ON HAVEN:**

Luffy: We're ambushed by soldiers, but it's okay, there's a backup plan.

Snow: We thought of everything!

_Luffy: "We'll save Serah, it's okay!"_

_Lightning: "What if you can't?"  
Luffy: "We will."_

**CHAPTER II: SEPARATED**


	2. Separated

Chapter II- Separated

"I feel like we've been walking for days! I'm tired!" whined Vanille.

Nami smacked her.

"Shut up! If you don't want to walk then stay here!"

Vanille pouted but kept walking.

"Where exactly are we going?" muttered Hope.

"Laroque City, Peace Force HQ." coldly said Lightning.

"Savin' Serah!" yelled out Snow.

"And then?"

"Escape from here!" chirped Luffy.

"Find a safe place...Haven." added Robin.

"And then we'll finally be happy." finished Franky, sighing contently.

"Except for Miss Grumpy" snickered Nami.

Lightning glared at her.

"Your ridiculous plan made me a criminal."

"You wouldn't be if you stayed behind."

"I must save my sister."  
"We can do it without you." muttered Snow.

"Shut up. You're an incompetent, childish moron. You wouldn't be able to save a fish from drowning."

"Ouch." said Usopp. Some people snickered.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?"

"We'll save Serah, it's okay!" said Luffy.

"What if you can't?"  
"We will."

Suddenly, soldiers started storming in.

"Shit!" screamed Franky.

"We'll meet at the set point!" yelled Snow "Divide into three groups!"

They separated into three groups and ran.

Zoro and Robin sighed nearly simultaneously. They ended up with the smallest group. Only them and the redhead they didn't know.

"Are you okay?" asked Robin. Vanille nodded.

"Are we going through the ruins?" muttered Zoro.

"It's the fastest route."

Robin shook her head. More people should have followed her. The other routes were too dangerous.

They were on the forest route. Nami looked around. Usopp, Chopper, the kid (was his name Hope?), Franky and...Light.

"Great."

Everyone else was with Snow. Sanji, Brook, Luffy and Sazh. Snow shook his head.

"This is the mountain route. We have a tough time ahead."

"It's fine." said Sazh "I've traveled here many times. I know this place."

"Well then, show the way, merchant man."

"Listen very carefully, I shall say this only once."

Nami sat down and picked a sharp stick from the group. Lightning leaned against a tree. The rest sat around Nami. The girl started drawing on the ground.

"We left through the west exit. From the west exit, to Laroque, north, there are three main routes. Everything else is thick forest, and as you can see, the trees are all white and green. This gets confusing surprisingly fast, so walking out the route isn't very bright. Now, these three routes are all different and for different purposes. The ruin route, here at the center, is a maze riddled with traps which only Robin can navigate through. Safely at least. The mountain route, the one most to the west is difficult to travel and very exhausting unless you know shortcuts. It's also the only route that allows for carts to travel so merchant guy should know it. We..."

Nami drew a big circle over the route on the left.

"We are in the forest route." said Lightning.

"Shut up, I'm the mapmaker and navigator. You be good or I'll get you lost on purpose."

Lightning rolled her eyes. Nami coughed and continued.

"This is the forest route. It's the longest but the safest. As long as we pay attention to the trail and don't venture into the trees, we're fine."

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Lighting, starting to walk.

Nami groaned and got up. Franky sneered.

"Wait Farron, we have kids with us!"  
"I don't care. Move or I'll leave you behind."

"Lightning?" called out Chopper "Please stop."

"I said-"  
Nami grabbed her hand softly.

"Your arm is bleeding. You must've been grazed by a bullet. Take off your coat before you bleed to death."

Lightning glared at Nami.

"I'm not afraid of you. Take it off before I do."

She groaned and took off the heavy leather coat. Like most people of the town they lived in, most of her clothing was made from leather and light cotton, to combat cold without being very heavy. Lightning shivered as the cold air hit her shoulders. Nami gently touched the wound.

"This isn't good."

"Let me see..."

Chopper examined it.

"Oh, you are right! You very well could've bled out like this. Let me fix you up..."

"The ruins are that way, north." said Robin, pointing the way.

"Right. North." said Zoro, walking the opposite way.

Robin grabbed his sleeve and pointed again.

"No Zoro, north is that way."

"Right."

He stopped for a moment, thinking. Then he turned west and started to walk. Robin slid her hand over her face and sighed exasperated.

"Not the brightest bloke, are you?" asked Vanille, pulling on his shirt "Come on now."

Robin stared at her perplexed.

"Your accent is very odd."  
"Well, you know, I'm from out of your town."  
"So am I actually. I've only lived there for 4 years. And I'm from pretty far away."  
"I'm...From a very, very far away place."

"Then how come the government let's you walk around so much? Isn't the country segregated by areas?"

"You know...Merchant's daughters."

"Must be a very affluent merchant."

Vanille giggled nervously and skipped over to Zoro, who was already heading east.

"There's a shortcut over here." said Sazh as he pushed off a rock.

"Who you gonna save?" asked Luffy.

"My son."  
"Why is he there?"

"Accidentally went over a border without his pass one day. They spare no one."  
"I hate them." muttered Luffy.

"Me too."

"Me three." added Snow "This so-called government is nothing but a sham! They walk all over the people they say they're protecting. If somebody would-"

"We've talked about this, Snow." said Brook.

"We are not an army." said Sanji. He yawned.

"Do you want to stop for lunch?"  
"YEAH!" screamed Luffy. He sat down and took out a knife and fork from his vest pocket.

"...Do you always keep silverware in your pocket?" asked the perplexed Sazh.

"Yes." said Sanji as he gathered some mushrooms "That's Luffy."

**NEXT WEEK ON HAVEN:**

Nami: We're further separated as Miss Grumpy gets me lost.

Lightning: What.

Robin: Everyone rests for the night.

Chopper: Tomorrow our quest continues...

_Lightning: "When was the last time we talked like this?"  
Nami: "Six years."_

_Lightning: "Why do you remember it so well?"  
Nami: "Because it was the last day I saw you smile."_

**CHAPTER III:REMEMBER**

**:  
Oi, remember I always update on my website first (link in my profile).**

**Chapter 3 is already up there.**


End file.
